Contents [hide]

Swinburne History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Motto Citations

Swinburne History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland

A family of Strathclyde-Briton were the first to use the name Swinburne. They lived in Northumberland.

Early Origins of the Swinburne family

The surname Swinburne was first found in Northumberland, at Swinburn (Swinburne,) a township, in the parish of Chollerton, union of Hexham. " The family of Swinburn took their name from this place, which they probably held previously to the year 1272: in the reign of Edward II. It was the seat and manor of Adam de Swinburn. " 1

Another reference states: "Swinburne in this county [Northumberland] gave name to this ancient family, the first recorded ancestor being John, father of Sir William de Swinburne, living in 1278, and Alan Swinburne, Rector of Whitfield, who purchased Capheaton from Sir Thomas Fenwick, Knt, in 1274. " 2

"Long Witton Hall, an ancient mansion with additions by its late proprietors, the Swinburne family, is finely situated." 1

And over in Bewcastle in Cumberland, "In the 7th of Edward I., license was granted to John Swinburn, to hold a weekly market and an annual fair." 1

Early History of the Swinburne family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Swinburne research. Another 140 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1253, 1280, 1560, 1600, 1623, 1660, 1670, 1687, 1706, 1716 and 1740 are included under the topic Early Swinburne History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Swinburne Spelling Variations

In the era before dictionaries, there were no rules governing the spelling or translation of names or any other words. Consequently, there are an enormous number of spelling variations in Medieval Scottish names. Swinburne has appeared as Swinburn, Swinburne, Swinborn, Swinborne and others.

Early Notables of the Swinburne family

Notable amongst the family at this time was

Henry Swinburne (1560?-1623), ecclesiastical lawyer, born at York about 1560, the son of Thomas Swinburne of that city, and his wife Alison
Sir John Swinburne, (d. 1706) was 1st Baronet from Capheaton, Northumberland, a title created for him on September 26, 1660 honor of the loyalty to Charles I by Swinburne's father and grandfather prio...

Swinburne migration to the United States +

The freedom, opportunity, and land of the North American colonies beckoned. There, Scots found a place where they were generally free from persecution and where they could go on to become important players in the birth of new nations. Some fought in the American War of Independence, while others went north to Canada as United Empire Loyalists. The ancestors of all of these Scottish settlers have been able to recover their lost national heritage in the last century through highland games and Clan societies in North America. Among them:

Swinburne Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

William Swinburne, who settled in Virginia in 1655
William Swinburne, who arrived in Virginia in 1655 3

Swinburne Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Peter Swinburne, who arrived in New York in 1795 3

Swinburne Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Ralph E. Swinburne, aged 41, who settled in America, in 1895
Suzanne A. Swinburne, aged 26, who landed in America, in 1895

Swinburne Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Miss. S. Swinburne, aged 26, who immigrated to the United States, in 1909
Sophie Swinburne, aged 60, who immigrated to the United States, in 1911
Mary Swinburne, aged 9, who settled in America from Hamilton, Scotland, in 1911
Matthew Swinburne, aged 5, who landed in America from Hamilton, Scotland, in 1911
John Swinburne, aged 7, who immigrated to America from Hamilton, Scotland, in 1911
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Swinburne migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Swinburne Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Eliz Swinburne, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1774

Swinburne migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Swinburne Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Alfred Swinburne, who landed in Auckland, New Zealand in 1840
Miss Sarah Swinburne, British cook travelling from London aboard the ship "Himalaya" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 10th February 1867 4

Contemporary Notables of the name Swinburne (post 1700) +

John Swinburne (1820-1889), American Republican politician, Mayor of Albany, New York, 1883-84; U.S. Representative from New York 19th District, 1885-87; Defeated, 1886
Dr. John Swinburne (1820-1889), noted military surgeon during the American Civil War, eponym of the artificial Swinburne Island, an early quarantine island near Ellis island
John F. Swinburne Jr., American fighter pilot and flying ace in the U.S. Navy, during World War II, credited with 5 aerial victories
John Swinburne (1930-2017), Scottish politician, founder of the Scottish Senior Citizens Unity Party
Sir Hubert Swinburne (1867-1934), 8th Baronet
Sir John Swinburne (1831-1914), 7th Baronet, High Sheriff of Northumberland
Sir John Edward Swinburne (1762-1860), 6th Baronet
Sir Edward Swinburne (1733-1786), 5th Baronet
Sir John Swinburne (1724-1763), 4th Baronet
Sir John Swinburne (1698-1745), 3rd Baronet
... (Another 9 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

The Swinburne Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Semel et semper
Motto Translation: Once and always.

Citations +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Shirley, Evelyn Philip, The Noble and Gentle Men of England; The Arms and Descents. Westminster: John Bower Nichols and Sons, 1866, Print.
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html